Ash and Misty's Love
by twistedreality
Summary: Ash gets hurt when a team rocket scheme goes too far. AAMRN [part 10 is up!]
1. Chapter 1

**Ash and Misty's Love?-Part 1  
**  
I don't own pokemon, so don't even ask.  
  
This fanfic was written by Chikarita  
  
Author's notes-This is my first AAMRN, in fact, its my first fanfic. Don't kill me, please. Beware. I am a slooowww writer. (Yes, I know the title stinks) It stinks, but bear with me.  
  
Ash's POV  
  
I noticed that we had passed the same large tree twice, but I say nothing. I definitely did not want Misty to yell at me for getting us lost again. After the second time around, I started to get really frustrated. I really hated maps, but I finally decided to use one.  
  
I looked back at Misty, hoping that she didn't notice that I had gotten us lost again, but she was too busy trying to get Togepi to stop crying and go to sleep. I couldn't believe how many arguments that little pokemon has helped me avoid.  
  
Finally, Brock notices that we are lost, and he takes the map from me silently, also hoping to keep everything peaceful.   
  
We hope too much. Misty finally succeeds in getting Togepi to sleep when she sees me give Brock the map. "You got us lost again?" she asks a little tiredly. Sometimes Togepi saps her energy and this day seems one of those days. She sighs in annoyance and shrugs without saying anything. I guess is too tired to fight too.  
  
I silently thank Togepi again. The obligatory fight with Misty that results from me getting us lost is the worst part of my day. I don't like fighting, especially with Misty.  
  
"Well, I guess we should camp out, since it's getting late," Brock sighed.  
  
We both agreed, and Brock started to cook. While we are waiting for Brock to finish cooking, Misty sits next to me on the log next to the fire. She smiles at me, and I feel my face go warm. She doesn't notice me blushing because she turns around to ask Brock something.  
  
Pikachu sees me blushing at Misty, and thundershocks me. Embarrassed at being too obvious, I just stare at the fire.  
  
End Part One  
  
Note: I'll probably do Misty's POV next.  
  
Please Review! Please! Just don't flame me, OK?  



	2. Chapter 2

Ash and Misty's Love?-Part 2  
  
I don't own pokemon, so don't even ask.  
  
This fanfic was written by Chikarita  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed the first part! I'm so sorry for taking so long in sending out this part. Warning! I wrote this under the influence of classic rock songs from Napster and Teddy Grams.  
  
Misty's POV  
  
I heard somebody yelling for me to wake up, but I just shut my eyes tighter. The voice is louder, more insistent, but I want to ignore it. "Leave me 'lone." I moan, trying to block out the voice, by pulling my head deeper into the sleeping bag.  
  
I hear Pikachu thundershocking Ash, and I can't help giggling at his reaction. I can't resist the temptation to watch as I slowly crawl out of my sleeping bag. I see a very burnt up Ash, getting up tiredly. Pikachu sees me and suddenly runs to me.  
  
"I'm up! I'm up!" I said quickly, jumping to my feet to prove my point. I don't want to be thundershocked too. Brock laughs at my reaction, and I glare at him. I'm not very annoyed, but Brock stops laughing and starts cooking breakfast.  
  
I started to look for my favorite comb, but I was annoyed after five minutes of searching my pack. I hear someone walking next to me.  
"Hey, what are you looking for?"  
  
I look up and see Ash. His face suddenly reddens slightly and he looks away quickly. "Ash, are you OK?" I ask, ignoring his previous question.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine." He says a little too quickly. "So what are you looking for?" he asks again.  
  
I know he is trying to change the subject, but I go along with it. "I'm trying to look for my brush. You know, the one with a lapras painted on the side of it?"  
  
"Sorry, I haven't seen it," He said, shrugging, "but I could help you look for it." He suggests helpfully, though a little quietly.  
  
I can't believe what I'm hearing. Ash is never this helpful! "Uh..sure.." I say, wondering what was up with Ash. He was usually loud and annoying! He never offered to help me with anything that resembled work!  
And he was never so quiet!  
  
"Ash, are you sure you're okay?" I asked again.  
  
"I'm fine!" he cried in exasperation. Now there was the Ash I knew. For some weird reason, this actually made me feel better.  
  
Ash starts to look under his stuff. He takes out his red cap and puts it on. He starts to unroll his sleeping bag.  
  
"I thought you were looking for my comb?" I said, feeling irritated at him.  
  
"I am," He said, ignoring the annoyed tone of my voice, "you could have dropped it around here last night." He reached under his sleeping bag and pulled out my comb.   
  
As soon as I caught sight of my favorite comb, I ran to Ash and hugged him happily. "Thanks, Ash!" I cried ecstatically, losing my composure.  
  
Suddenly I realized what I was doing and I broke the hug. "Uh..sorry..I guess I wasn't thinking.." I said nervously, not believing what I just did.  
  
"It's okay.." Ash said, his face was every bit as red as mine, as he handed me the comb.  
  
"Thanks," I said, staring at the comb, using it as an excuse not to look at Ash.  
  
"Uh…I…could help you pack…if you want…" he said with difficulty.  
  
"No, I'm fine." I said quietly.  
  
"Uh…okay..." he said, before walking away.  
  
I pack quickly, catching glances of Ash sometimes. He doesn't even notice me. He is just sitting on the log next to the fire, with his hand rested on his chin.   
  
When I finish packing, I walk by the campfire, and find Brock handing Ash a plate of pancakes. Brock walks up to me, "want some?" he asks, offering me a plate. I nod and take one pancake. I'm not really that hungry.  
  
Ash, who is usually eating like there is no tomorrow, is just staring at his plate.  
  
Brock looks at him strangely, "Uh, Ash are you okay?" he asks.  
  
"I…I…" he begins, looking at me. "I'm fine," He said, sounding very annoyed.  
  
Brock didn't seem convinced. He put a hand on Ash's forehead. "Well, you don't feel warm…"  
  
"Because I'm not sick!" Ash cried. "I'm just not hungry. That's all," he finished quietly.  
  
Without a word he got up and picked up his backpack. "Let's go!" he said impatiently.  
  
Brock and I looked at him with confusion. "He's really acting strange…" Brock whispered to me. I nodded, but said nothing.  
  
I started to wonder what was really bothering Ash. I'm sure he knows I didn't mean anything by hugging him. I was just really happy he found my comb. But something was bothering me, and I didn't know what it was.  
  
Togepi trilled in my arms, cutting off my train of thought. I rocked it gently. The egg pokemon was calm again.   
  
Pikachu was riding on Ash's hat as always. "Pikapika?" it asked Ash. "Pikachu, I'm…" but a bright line shone on his face, cutting him off.  
  
I covered my eyes, trying to shield them from the intensity of the bright light.  
  
"Prepare for trouble…!" I heard Jessie cry out, beginning the motto. She struck a pose.  
  
"Make it double…!" James said, also striking a pose.  
  
We all had grown accustomed to the bright light shining in our faces, and were too annoyed to listen to the rest of the motto.  
  
"Come on, it's too early in the morning!" Ash moaned.  
  
"Yeah!" I agreed, "Can you just give us a break for once..?!"  
  
"Hey! Don't you twerps have any decency?!" Jessie cried, "You can't just interrupt our motto!" She crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"You talk about decency?! Its eight in the morning!" I cried in anger.  
  
"Give us you're Pikachu, twerp!" James cried, pointing at Ash.  
  
"I'm not a twerp and you can't have Pikachu! Pikachu! Thundershock!" he ordered. Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder, with his cheeks crackling with electricity.  
  
"Pika-chuuu!!" Pikachu cried, electrocuting Jessie and James.  
  
"Tackle them!" Brock cried, after ordering out Onix. The large rock pokemon lunged forward, sending Jessie and James to the air.  
  
Suddenly, I noticed something strange. "Where's Meowth?" I asked.  
  
"That is pretty strange," Brock agreed.  
  
I didn't even have enough time to mull this over, when an explosion behind us knocked Brock and me forward.  
  
Ash had been outside the range of the explosion and he ran to us in worry. "Are you two alright?" he asked.  
  
He held out his hand to help me up. I looked at his offered hand for a moment, before grabbing his hand, allowing him to pull me up. For a moment I was lost in his eyes.  
  
Brock broke the moment by running to us. "We got to get out of here!" he cried, "There could be more explosives!" Before we could even begin to run away, another explosion sent us to the ground.  
  
I heard laughter coming from the bush. "Alright! Who's there?!" I cried, not at all amused.  
  
Suddenly, Meowth jumped from the bush. "You twerps forgot about me!" he cried, with a triumphant smile on his face.  
  
"Stop calling us twerps!" Ash cried, getting a pokeball ready.  
  
Meowth pushed a button, sending Ash to the ground. "Don't try it, kid! I wired the whole place wit explosives!"  
  
I could see the intensity in Ash's face as he glared at Meowth. After ten seconds of glaring at him, Ash put away his pokeball.  
  
Jessie and James appeared behind us. "Now give us your Pikachu." James said with a smile.  
  
Ash kneeled down to the ground, holding Pikachu protectively. "No!" he yelled.  
  
I looked over to Meowth and saw that he was pushing a button.  
  
"No!" I cried, running at Meowth but I heard the explosion a moment later. I was too late.  
  
End Part Two  
  
Man! Writing a fanfic is much harder than I though! I now have a renewed appreciation for all you hardworking writers out there!  
  
Criticism/Praise J are both welcome! Please review! Reviews are what fuel my writing!  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Ash and Misty's love  
  
part Three  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon, I wouldn't be here now, would I?  
  
Author's note: Oh my gosh! Its been months since the last part! I'm so sorry!  
I thought I was gonna kill this story, but I realized it would be evil to do  
that at a cliffhanger, so I decided to continue.   
[insert author's pathetic excuses here] Thanks to everyone that reviewed,   
though! Enjoy!  
  
Misty's POV  
  
"Ash!" I cried in horror when I saw the explosion. I felt a sinking feeling in  
my stomach when I thought of the possibility that he could be...I just  
couldn't imagine losing Ash. I tried to run through the smoke to get to Ash,  
but I couldn't see anything, and I had to stop to cough violently.  
  
Brock had already set Vulpix on team rocket, as he sent them blasting off with  
a flame thrower. I've never seen look him look so angry. Normally, Brock was a  
very composed person. As the smoke cleared, we both ran to him at the same  
time.  
  
He was laying on his back. The force of the blast had sent him away from the  
source of the explosion. His jacket and jeans were blackened and his right arm  
and leg were bent oddly from the impact of the ground. He was unconscious. I  
could see the deep gash on his forehead were he must have hit his head. I  
could tell that he was still alive from the slow rise and fall of his chest.  
He still held Pikachu in his arms.  
  
Brock looked at me nervously. I could see the horror in Brock's face when he   
reached out to see if Pikachu was alive.  
  
"Is Pikachu...?" I whispered quietly, not wanting to believe the worst.  
  
Brock's face grew pale, as he waited a few seconds with his hand on Pikachu's  
heart.  
  
"Brock.." I asked softly. "Is..Pikachu..?"  
  
He closed his eyes painfully. "Dead." Brock whispered.  
  
I gasped. No... I looked at Ash, and my heart sunk lower.  
  
"I'll get help." Brock whispered.  
  
I nodded. Then I thought of something. "What if he wakes up and asks about..?"  
I gulped, not wanting to finish the sentence.  
  
"Just don't tell him." Brock ordered, before running to get an ambulance.  
  
I gently extricated Pikachu from Ash's hands. I couldn't look straight at  
Pikachu, when I did this, or Ash.  
  
*I couldn've pushed them out of the way..I could've stopped Meowth from  
pushing the button..* I thought with a sudden surge of guilt.  
  
I grasped his motionless hand somberly with the sudden realization that I  
could have prevented this.  
  
I felt his hand move slightly and I looked into his eyes, which were now  
open. Pikachu was behind me, so he couldn't see what had happened to it.  
  
He coughed, and I was about to urge him not to speak, but he looked up at me,  
ignoring my warnings.  
  
"Where's...Pikachu...?" he asked wearily.  
  
"Ash...just relax..." I said as gently as I could, putting my hand on his  
unhurt shoulder.  
  
"Where's..Pikachu?" he asked, getting more urgent and panicked.  
  
"Pikachu is with Brock..." I lied. I hated lying to him. Inwardly, I prayed  
that he wouldn't ask me again or doubt me. I knew I couldn't lie to him again.  
  
He calmed down somewhat. If he didn't believe me, he made no verbal objection.  
  
He tried to roll over on his side, but he winced in pain when he did this  
action.  
  
"Ash...?" I asked gently, hoping that he was okay. "..are you alright?"  
  
He looked at me sadly for a moment, but his sadness changed to an expression  
of pain. He held his hand to his side.  
  
I could see blood running through his fingers.  
  
"Ash!" I cried, horrified at the discovery of a new injury. "hang on!"  
  
I could faintly hear the ambulance in the backround.  
  
"Help is coming soon." I assured him. He gripped my hand tightly.  
  
I tried to smile at him reassuringly, but it was hard to be encouraging when  
I was terrified for him myself.  
  
"Misty..I.." he began. I could see it in his eyes. He was trying to tell me  
"goodbye." I couldn't..wouldn't accept it.  
  
"ASH KETCHUM, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DIE!" I yelled. I saw the shocked  
expression on his face, and I continued more gently, "I..I.." then I looked  
into his eyes.  
  
I couldn't say it.  
  
"I...think you can pull through Ash..you're strong.."  
  
The emergency workers ran to him, and they placed him on the stretcher. Brock  
helped them carry Ash into the ambulance.  
  
"Is anyone going to ride with him?" one of the emergency workers asked.  
  
I looked at Brock, begging him silently.  
  
"You can ride with him." he said softly.  
  
"Thank you.." I said, hugging him gratefully, before climbing into the  
ambulance.  
  
End Part Three  
  
Sorry, I took so long for this part. I choose to blame Chemistry and Latin  
I'll try to write the other parts faster than three months.  
I'm sorry this part was bad and short, but I was writing my Huckleberry Finn  
censorship paper the same time I wrote this.  
  
Just wanted to add, I just watched Serial Experiments Lain and it rules!!!  
I reccomend it to everyone! Well, if you like trippy stuff, that is. 


	4. Chapter 4

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 4  
  
written by twistedreality   
  
A/N: Yes! this story is still alive! Although, I should probably get  
the parts out faster than two months each. (laughs nervously) Oh, and  
thanks for all the reviews! Wow! Lots of reviews! They really  
encourage me a lot! ;)  
  
Misty's POV  
  
The inside of the ambulance was cold and dark, but that didn't really  
register in my mind too much. All I could think about was Ash, and how  
he was hurt badly.  
  
A thought crept into my mind for the seventh time that hour. *He  
could die..* I thought, almost panicking.  
  
I looked into his face, and I realized that I couldn't think like  
that. I had to be strong...for Ash.  
  
"Where's Pikachu?" he asked softly, gripping onto my hand weakly. I  
could see desperation in his eyes.  
  
"He's..."I faltered, realizing I didn't remember where I said Pikachu  
was the first time Ash had asked me.  
  
"I didn't see him with Brock..." Ash said, not suspiciously, but with  
concern.  
  
I briefly cursed my stupidity by saying that Pikachu was with Brock. I  
already knew that Brock would be coming back with help.  
  
However, Ash didn't seem to be catching on with my lie, so I decided  
to delay the news a little longer.  
  
I hated to do it, but I lied to Ash again. "Brock dropped off Pikachu  
at the pokemon center..." I began.  
  
"He's okay...right?" Ash said, starting to sit up. I had to hold him  
back. He winced in pain, but he said nothing.  
  
"Pikachu was just a little scratched up...but.." I had to look away  
when I saw his eyes. He was hanging on to every word with all of the  
energy he still had. "Pikachu will be fine."  
  
"Really?" Ash asked in a whisper, barely loud enough for me to  
hear.  
  
"Really." I affirmed, not meeting his eyes.  
  
He still looked a little tense, so I forced a smile, this time giving  
him eye contact. He was a little more calm after that, because he  
sighed softly, staring at the ceiling of the ambulance.  
  
I stared at my feet, unable to look at Ash after lying to him about  
Pikachu. I knew it was the right thing to do if I wanted Ash to  
recover, but it still felt wrong.  
  
There was a long silence, when I heard soft sobbing sounds.  
  
"Ash.." I said quietly. "It's okay...don't cry.."  
  
He just stared at his bleeding side with horror.  
  
I took his hand, trying to distract him from his wound. "We're almost  
at the hospital." I promised.  
  
He looked at me with tears still in his eyes. "I'm scared..." he said,  
shuddering.  
  
"You'll be fine.." I said, giving him my first real smile ever since  
the explosion.  
  
"Thanks Misty.." he said, before coughing. He lifted up his hand, to  
cover up the hacking coughs.  
  
I could see blood on his hand when he removed it from his mouth.  
  
I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. I really didn't want to scare  
Ash any more than he already was.  
  
I was terrified enough for the both of us.  
  
***  
  
As soon as the ambulance stopped, the doors opened, and four man  
pulled Ash out of the ambulance, and carried him into the hospital.  
  
I could only watch helplessly as they left me alone in the dark  
vehicle.  
  
"Misty..?" A deep voice asked calmly, "Are you there?"  
  
I stepped out of the vehicle, and felt relieved.   
  
It was Brock.  
  
It felt good to have another friend the worry about Ash with. "Yeah,  
it's me." I said quietly, trying not to sound as worried as I felt.  
  
"Are you...okay?" Brock said softly. Obviously, I didn't do a good job  
in hiding how worried I was.  
  
I couldn't think about anything to say, so I just shook my head.  
  
Brock tried to give me a comforting smile, but his face returned back  
to its sad expression. "Did he ask about...?"  
  
I nodded with a pained look on my face. "I hated lying to him.." I  
said quietly. "I had to tell him that Pikachu was in the pokemon  
center..and that Pikachu was going to be just fine.." For the first  
time since the explosion, I finally started to cry. "I hate lying to  
him.." I repeated, sobbing.  
  
"It's okay Misty, you had to..." Brock said, giving me a friendly hug.  
  
"Yeah, I know...but if feels so..wrong.." I whispered.  
  
Brock didn't respond to that. He just led me back into the hospital,  
towards the waiting room.  
  
***  
  
I think I must've cried for fifteen minutes in the waiting room before  
I suddenly remembered Ash's mother. A pang of remorse came to me when  
I tried to think of what Mrs. Ketchum's reaction would be to the  
accident. Ash was all she had in the world.  
  
"Brock...Did you call Ash's mother?" I asked, hoping that he did.  
  
Brock groaned softly and buried his face in his hands. Apparently, he  
hadn't thought of that either.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll do it.." I volunteered, not sure why I was actually  
offering to tell Mrs. Ketchum the bad news.  
  
Brock looked at me with a worried expression on his face. "Are you  
sure you want to?" he asked skeptically.  
  
"Yeah." I said in a quiet voice, getting up to walk towards the phone.  
  
I quickly dialed Mrs. Ketchum's number. I only knew it because Ash had  
called her so many times.  
  
I could hear the phone being picked up. Soon, I saw Mrs. Ketchum's  
cheerful face on the phone. I silently cursed the stupid video phones.  
It was hard enough just telling her. I didn't want to look at her face  
to face while breaking it to her.  
  
"Hello, Misty, how are you?" she asked cheerfully, with just a hint of  
worry on her face from not seeing Ash or Brock next to me.  
  
I was immediately lost for words, and all I could do was stutter, "I..  
I.."  
  
Mrs. Ketchum's concern grew stronger. "Is everything okay?" she asked,  
sounding alarmed now.  
  
I struggled for a moment, trying not to cry. "It's Ash...he's hurt..  
real bad.." I whispered.  
  
I had to close my eyes right then, but I could still hear Mrs. Ketchum  
crying. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.  
  
"I..don't know.." I forced myself to answer.  
  
"What city are you in?" she asked frantically.  
  
"V-Viridian.." I said, nervously.  
  
"I'll be right there." then she hung up.  
  
I walked over to Brock, and was about to tell him that Mrs. Ketchum  
would be coming right over, when a doctor walked into the room. He  
called our names, and we walked over towards him, nervously.  
  
"How is he, doctor?" Brock asked nervously.  
  
End part 4  
  
A/N: Man! I just realized I forgot to kill togepi, that evil little  
#@@*%@, at the explosion. Oh well, I'll kill togepi some other time.  
Read/Review. Reviews make me happy. I eat flames for lunch. I'm going  
on a weekend vacation, and I thought I would feel guilty if I didn't  
write another part to this before I left..so here it is!!  



	5. Chapter 5

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 5  
  
Written by TwistedReality  
  
"How is he, doctor?" Brock asked nervously after a long pause. I would  
have asked the doctor myself, but I didn't trust my voice. I wasn't  
even sure if I really wanted to find out the news about Ash's  
condition.  
  
"He's bleeding internally, and he has lost a lot of blood from a deep  
cut on his side. We had to give him a blood transfusion when he came  
in..."  
  
Brock and I exchanged looks of horror at this news.  
  
"Will he...live?" I asked hesitantly, cringing at the thought that the  
answer could be negative.  
  
"I..I don't know.." the doctor said, sounding a little less rehearsed  
after he had looked into my panicked facial expression.  
  
"Can we see him, doctor?" Brock asked, stepping up to the doctor, with  
an anxious tone. I could see that his hands were balled up into  
shaking fists.  
  
"He's in surgery right now." the doctor stated, before walking away.  
  
Brock just watched the retreating doctor for a whole minute. He stood  
completely still, and his face didn't even twitch.  
  
"Brock...?" I whispered cautiously, feeling worried about him.  
  
He didn't move a muscle. It was like he didn't even hear me. I walked  
over to him, and put my hand on his shoulder. He twitched, but he  
didn't make a sound.  
  
"Are you alright?" I asked, trying to keep a scared tone out of my  
voice.  
  
Suddenly I heard a sob come from Brock's throat as he crumpled to his  
knees.  
  
Brock burst into tears, and all I could do was watch in silence as I  
witnessed the unexpected scene. I had never seen Brock cry in all the  
time that I had knew him, and the sight had paralyzed me.  
  
I wished I could have said *something* to comfort him, but he was the  
usually one who comforted me and Ash when we got upset.  
  
All I could do was help him to one of the waiting room chairs so we  
could both wait to see Ash.  
  
***  
  
I don't know how many times I had cried in the three hours that I had  
waited to see Ash.  
  
Brock had only cried that one time. Now he was just staring at the  
floor with a great intensity.  
  
"Is Ash going to be alright?" a voice asked me anxiously. The voice  
was cracked, and I was sure that the speaker had been crying for a  
long time.  
  
I looked up and saw that Ash's mother stood in front of me. Her eyes  
were filled with tears.  
  
I couldn't bear to look at her, but I knew I had to answer her. I had  
to say *something.* She was his mother. She had to right to know.  
  
"They...They don't know.."  
  
Mrs. Ketchum sat in the waiting room chair next to me, burying her  
head in her hands.  
  
She reminded me of my own mother before she...  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum?" a nurse asks, her voice was a monotone, but I could  
see concern in her eyes. There's a small smile forming on her face  
that I know she is trying to suppress.  
  
Ash's mother stops crying as she stands up anxiously, her whole body  
shuddered as she open and closed her mouth to talk, even though no  
words came out.  
  
"He'll be fine." the nurse said, surrendering to a full smile now.  
  
Brock looks up at her, moving for the first time in the hour with the  
slight raising up of his head.  
  
"Really?" He asks breathlessly.  
  
I want to scream, shout in joy, cry in relief, anything! But the  
sickness that had settled at the pit of my stomach still remained. I  
felt sick; I wanted to throw up. All I could manage was a tear.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum just smiles, and I could hear her gasping and  
hyperventilating in excitement until she finally collapses onto her  
chair.  
  
"Mrs.." the nurse started helping steady her.  
  
Ash's mother calms down a bit, until she is finally able to speak  
normally.  
  
"Can we see him?" she asked, "Is he awake?"  
  
"Yes, you can see him now, and he should be waking up soon."  
  
I let out a small cheer and I turned to look at Brock, who had also  
been smiling.  
  
I couldn't believe it. I was going to see Ash again!  
  
***  
  
I wished I could have been the first one to see him, but I knew it  
would have been wrong for anyone besides Mrs. Ketchum to go first.  
  
All I could do for the next hour was fiddle with my hands.  
  
I tried not to remember how Ash had looked right after the explosion.  
How he had cried in the ambulance...  
  
How I lied to him..  
  
I hear the door close softly before Mrs. Ketchum puts a gentle hand on  
my shoulder.  
  
I can tell that she had been crying, but she is much calmer than she  
was before.  
  
"Your turn, Misty.." she says gently.  
  
I turn to Brock to see if me going first would be okay with him.  
  
He just nods stiffly.  
  
I walk into the hospital room, closing my eyes to collect myself  
before I look at Ash.  
  
My heart skips a beat when I realize I couldn't have prepared myself  
for what I was seeing.  
  
"Oh...Ash..." I whispered softly, falling to my knees.  
  
He was so still...  
  
I held his hand, wishing with all my heart that he would squeeze my  
hand back.  
  
"You're going to be alright..." I said softly, more to convince myself  
of that fact than anything else.  
  
Suddenly I felt anger well up in my heart as I stared at Ash's  
motionless face. "You idiot!" I cried, "How could you do something  
stupid like that?!" I burst into tears when my voice lost its angry  
edge to it.  
  
I slowly reached my hand over to his face, touching his cheek.  
  
He felt so cold...  
  
I moved my hand away from his face, my fingertips lightly brushing  
over his lips as I withdrew my hand.  
  
Maybe if I yelled at him more, he would wake up...or maybe if I kissed  
him, he would open his eyes and we would live happily ever after and..  
  
Did I really want to kiss him?  
  
The hand that had touched his cheek seemed to tingle in response.  
  
A tear rolled down my cheek, followed by another. Everything was just  
too confusing.  
  
A part of me wanted to run out of this room, to escape Ash and these  
*feelings* I had for him, but a larger part of me wanted to stay, to  
be as close to Ash I could be.  
  
"Oh, Ash..." I whispered, clasping his hand in both of mine. "I..love  
you...come back to me..."  
  
***  
  
Okay, I finally wrote this part! *blushes in embarrassment for waiting  
for four months to write this part!* Okay, I have an excuse this time,  
and it's a good one...(pauses)...uh..nevermind!  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed! (Dances around, hugs all the reviewers who  
reviewed her story)  
  
I just watched the "Please Save My Earth" DVD, and I thought it was  
awesome! In fact, I'm gonna watch it right now!  



	6. Chapter 6

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 6  
  
Written By TwistedReality  
  
Misty's POV  
  
I stared at Ash for hours, alternating between sobbing and silence. He didn't  
move no matter how hard I cried, no matter how much I hoped.  
  
I heard a soft creak as the hospital door opened slowly.  
  
It was Brock.  
  
"Misty..." he said reluctantly, "Can I...?"  
  
A part of me wanted to ask for more time with Ash, but when I looked at the  
time, I realized that I had been in the room for four hours. Brock was Ash's  
friend too, and he needed to see Ash just as much as I did.  
  
"Sure..." I told him, taking one last look at Ash, before leaving the room.  
  
"Just get some sleep, Misty..." he reassured me with a sad smile.  
  
I nodded, realizing what a mess I looked like.  
  
I walked to the hospital bathroom, and saw that my face was wet and sticky  
from all the crying that I had done.  
  
I dampened a paper towel and wiped my face with it.  
  
For a moment all I could think about was the image of Ash, laying still on the  
ground, and I started to breathe faster. The hand holding the paper towel  
shook, but all I could think about was the explosion.  
  
*Don't cry...Don't cry...* I tried to tell myself.  
  
But no matter how much I urged myself to keep calm, tears continued to roll  
down my cheeks, and I could hear myself whimper as I choked down sobs.  
  
"Misty.." a voice said gently, breaking my concentration and resolve. Through  
a haze of tears, I could see Ash's mother standing in front of me.  
  
I lost all self control as I burst into loud sobs. I could feel comforting  
arms wrapping around me, rocking me back and forth.  
  
I lost all awareness of the world as I was slowly swallowed up by a warm and  
inviting darkness.  
  
***  
  
"Misty!" a voice cried excitedly in a loud whisper.  
  
I rolled over in my bed and opened my eyes slowly. My head hurt, but I was  
still able to register that the voice belonged to Brock.  
  
"mm...?" I moaned, still half asleep, but curious.  
  
"Ash is awake!" Brock proclaimed with a smile.  
  
My eyes widened as I suddenly felt fully awake. "Really?!" I asked a little  
louder than I had intended.  
  
Brock nodded, and I instantly shot out of the cot that I had been sleeping on.  
  
"Where's Mrs. Ketchum?" I asked, as I started out the door with Brock. I had  
remembered last night when she had comforted me, and I assumed that she had  
carried me to the cot when I had fallen asleep.  
  
"She's with Ash." Brock said, sounding a little impatient with me.  
  
I was a little shocked at how calm I was at the news. I expected myself to be  
jumping up and down in excitement when Ash woke up.  
  
Instead, the news took time to register in my mind. As I continued to think  
about it, I felt a dull shudder of joy that caused a smile to emerge slowly  
on my face.  
  
When we reached the wing of the hospital where Ash was kept, I started to  
break into a slow jog. I expected Brock to berate me for running in the   
hospital, but he only walked faster with a smile on his face. He barely  
acknowledged the fact that I was running.  
  
The door to Ash's room was slightly opened when I went in. Mrs. Ketchum was  
sitting next to her son's bed. She was holding Ash's hand, while she  
spoke to him softly. Occasionally, Ash would respond in a weak, but happy  
voice.  
  
For a moment, I was afraid walk any closer, because I didn't want to disturb  
the peaceful scene.  
  
"Misty..." Ash whispered softly and quietly, as he turned his head to me. He  
gave me a small smile and I could feel my heart flip.  
  
"Hello..." I squeaked, walking to Ash and his mother.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum gave me a warm smile as she walked next to Brock, who had just  
arrived in the room. There was a relieved smile on his face, but he stayed  
back, urging me towards Ash.  
  
There was a brief silence as I held Ash's hand, enjoying the feeling as he  
simply gripped my hand in return.  
  
"Ash...I'm...." I said, feeling a wave a guilt as I remembered Ash laying  
so still on the ground. I couldn't say anything else because of the lump that  
had formed in my throat.  
  
We were both quiet for a moment which actually seemed to last forever as  
I looked back down on my hand that was holding Ash's hand.  
  
Ash also looked down at my hands before he broke the silence. "Misty.." he  
whispered, as he looked up at me.  
  
I stared back at him, hypnotized by his nervous and scared eyes.  
  
"Thanks...for being there for me...in the ambulance." his hand unconsciously  
squeezed mine. "I...I.." he started hesitantly. "Thank you..." he finally  
managed to say quickly.  
  
I didn't know what to say. All I could do was smile at him. Fortunately, that  
seemed to be enough, because Ash was smiling back.  
  
"You really had us worried us back there.." Brock said with a sad smile on his  
face. I was a little shocked when he spoke. It felt like I was alone with Ash  
in the room, even though Brock and Mrs. Ketchum were watching the whole time.  
  
"Ash always has us worried..." I joked, with a warm smile. Ash gave me a look  
of mock annoyance, and stuck out his tongue.  
  
Brock shook his head in exasperation. I think I heard him mutter something  
to Mrs. Ketchum, but I didn't catch what he was saying.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum nodded to Brock in agreement, and they both laughed softly.  
  
"What are you two talking about?" I asked suspiciously.  
  
Brock looked a little nervous, as he turned to Mrs. Ketchum for help.  
  
"Brock just commented on how you two flirt with each other..." Mrs. Ketchum  
said with a smile on her face.  
  
I was definitely getting Brock back for this. I could see Brock cringing as he  
saw my "I'm gonna get you for this" look.  
  
Ash's face looked red as he suddenly covered his face with his blanket.  
  
"You...didn't have to tell them what I said..." Brock said nervously to Mrs.  
Ketchum.  
  
"Honesty is the best policy..." she smiled, looking over to her son, who had  
burrowed himself under his hospital sheets.  
  
My grin disappeared at this. I couldn't believe I had forgotten all about  
Pikachu...Ash and his mother didn't know yet. Brock looked just as  
uncomfortable as I did.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum saw our discomfort and looked worried. "What's wrong?" she asked  
us gently.  
  
Brock gulped nervously, and turned to me for help. I shook my head back at him  
quickly. I couldn't stand the thought of lying again about Pikachu.  
  
Everything seemed to numb. The fact that I was laughing and joking around just  
a short while ago made me feel sick.  
  
"What's wrong?" Mrs. Ketchum asked, sounding even more distressed.  
  
Ash noticed the sudden change in mood as he pulled his head from under the  
blankets.  
  
"We just realized that we forgot to eat yesterday..."  
  
I looked at Brock in confusion. That was the stupidest cover up I had ever  
heard. There was no way that Mrs. Ketchum was going to fall for...  
  
"I guess we can have a big lunch later on..." Mrs. Ketchum responded.  
  
"Mom...Can you bring me some fast food...I heard pretty bad stuff about  
hospital food.."  
  
I didn't really acknowledge Mrs. Ketchum's response. I was too relieved about  
Brock's cover up working.  
  
"Brock...Don't forget to give Pikachu a lot of ketchup..Nurse Joy usually  
doesn't have too much at the pokemon center and Pikachu gets mad if I don't  
give her any after she stays in one..."  
  
Brock turned away sadly, and I could see his shoulders shaking.  
  
I felt tears in my own eyes, but I hid them, by pretending to cough. I didn't  
do a good job, because Ash's eyes widened when he saw me crying.  
  
"Brock...Misty..What's wrong?" he asked, with quiet dread in his voice.  
  
Brock started to sob audibly, and I knew I was going to be the one to tell  
Ash the truth.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ash asked louder, with more alarm in his voice.  
  
I glanced over to Mrs. Ketchum who had started to comfort Brock, before I  
looked over to Ash.  
  
"Ash...There's something you have to know..." I whispered, sitting on the  
chair next to Ash's bed.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
Yes, I ended it with a cliffhanger...please don't kill me....  
  
Um...anyways...where was I? Happy birthday to this fic! So far, it's been a  
year since I submitted the first part to fanfiction.net! ::Celebrates::  
  
Read/Review. Flames will be used by me to cook hamburgers. Yummy!  
  
This part took...a little more than a month to write...Hey! That's not bad for  
me!  
  
To all reviewers: THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! Reviewers are the whole reason  
that this story is not dead yet! I can see the ending coming in the horizon..  
I just hope I don't get writer's block...or whatever...um...bya! 


	7. Chapter 7

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 7  
  
Written By TwistedReality  
  
Misty's POV  
  
"Brock...Misty..What's wrong?" Ash asked, with quiet dread in his voice.  
  
Brock started to sob audibly, and I knew I was going to be the one to tell  
Ash the truth.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked louder, with more alarm in his voice.  
  
I glanced over to Mrs. Ketchum who had started to comfort Brock, before I  
looked over to Ash.  
  
"Ash...There's something you have to know..." I whispered, sitting on the  
chair next to Ash's bed.His eyes bore into my eyes, and I felt the urge to  
look away, but I had to tell him the truth.  
  
"Ash..." I started, trying to keep myself composed. I looked over to Mrs.  
Ketchum who started to move closer to Ash.  
  
He didn't even notice her.  
  
"...During the explosion...." I shuddered when I said these words. The memory  
of watching as..I couldn't hold back a tear, but I continued. I had to. He  
had to know.  
  
Brock stood in the corner, looking down at the floor with his back turned  
toward us. I knew he wasn't going to step in and save me from this horrible  
task as I had irrationally hoped he would.  
  
"Pikachu..." My throat seemed to close up when I saw Ash suddenly stiffen. His  
whole body shook, as he silently begged me not to confirm what he feared.  
  
I closed my eyes. There was no way I was going to be able to do this if I  
looked him in the eyes.  
  
"Pikachu...didn't make it..."  
  
"What...?" Ash whispered, shuddering.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum let out a gasp, and stared at her son helplessly, not knowing  
what to say or do.  
  
Ash numbly shook his head. "No...it can't be true...because...because..."  
There was soft desperation in his voice.  
  
"Ash..." I said softly, reaching for his hand, which was clenched into a small  
fist.  
  
Ash angrily pulled his hand away. "Pikachu is in the pokemon center!" he  
yelled loudly, trying to get up, even though his mother held him back. "You  
said so!"  
  
I jumped from the bed, scared at the intensity of Ash's denial.  
  
"Ash...stop it..." Brock begged feebly, finally speaking. He slowly walked  
over to Ash, until he reached Ash's bed.  
  
Ash fell silent. Brock looked like a complete wreck. His face was red from all  
the crying, and his hair was messy.  
  
Brock's appearance made Ash's eyes widen in realization "N-No..." Ash  
whispered, frantically glancing back and forth at me and Brock.  
  
"Brock..?" he questioned.  
  
Brock didn't say anything. He just looked away.  
  
Ash turned to me. "Misty...?"  
  
"I'm sorry..." I sobbed, reaching out for his hand again.  
  
Ash didn't seem to see me. His back was pressed against the wall, and his eyes  
were....blank.  
  
"Ash!" I screamed, horrified that his eyes could look that way. I crumpled  
down to the ground sobbing, while Brock looked frantic.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum reached for Ash, who suddenly burst into tears, and jumped out of  
his bed.  
  
"No!" Mrs. Ketchum panicked, starting after Ash.  
  
He didn't make it very far. He was too weak to run, and he fell to the ground  
with a thump that made my stomach flip. If he was hurt again...  
  
The sound of Ash crying relieved me somewhat. He didn't even stop at the  
moment he had hit the ground.  
  
We just watched him for a moment, until Mrs. Ketchum scooped him up from the  
ground.  
  
He didn't resist when she put him on the bed and put the covers over him.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum...I'm sor-" I started, feeling guilty about Ash's state.  
  
"No...It's not your fault.." Mrs. Ketchum said softly, trying to give me a  
comforting smile. "Why don't you two just rest up, okay?" she said softly.  
  
"What about Ash?" Brock asked nervously.  
  
"I'm going to try to get him to sleep...he needs rest..." Mrs. Ketchum said,  
returning her gaze to Ash.  
  
"Come on, let's go, Misty..." Brock whispered to me, as he left the room.  
  
I looked back at Ash, but I left the room reluctantly.  
  
***  
  
The trip back to the waiting room seemed to take forever. Brock shuffled  
through the hallways, completely shutting out the rest of the world.  
  
All I could think about was the fact that just an hour ago I had been running  
through the hallways in ecstasy.  
  
When we arrived at the stiff plastic chairs, I flopped down on one of them,  
not minding how uncomfortable they had felt when I waited on them before.  
  
Brock just stood in front of one of the chairs, staring at it. A few people  
stared at him because he looked so strange just standing there.  
  
"Brock? Maybe you should just sit down..." I whispered.  
  
"I..." he started, kneeling in front of me. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have made  
you tell Ash...It was my responsibility.."  
  
A part of me wanted to yell at him, but a larger part of me just wanted to  
wave off the apology. Ash already knew, and I just didn't want to think about  
it.  
  
"It's okay...Brock.." I said, trying to smile, but failing miserably.  
  
"I should have protected him better...then this never would have happened."  
Brock continued, mirroring my thoughts.  
  
I shook my head. "Brock....you had nothing to do with Ash getting hurt."  
  
I sighed sadly when I saw how Brock's shoulders still slumped. He didn't  
believe me. He just sighed and sat down on the seat next to me.  
  
We waited for an hour. I started to feel hungry, but I didn't want to get up.  
I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep down anything I ate anyways.  
  
I was stretching when Mrs. Ketchum let out a soft sigh. Brock was the first to  
notice, but he hadn't said anything, until I had finished stretching and saw  
her walking down the hallway.  
  
"Are you two alright?" she asked with fake cheer.  
  
"We're fine..." Brock said, without meeting her gaze.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum looked at Brock with deep concern, but she didn't say anything  
about it. "Have you two eaten?" she asked me.  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"You two should go to the cafeteria and get something." she said, her  
suggestion sounding more like a command.  
  
"Okay..." I conceded. The hunger was really getting to me.  
  
"I'm not hungry..." Brock sighed.  
  
"Brock, you haven't eaten all day. Of course your hungry." Mrs. Ketchum said  
in a practical tone.  
  
He just looked away, still brooding.  
  
"Brock...If you're all hungry and tired, there's no way you're gonna help Ash  
through this!"  
  
Mrs. Ketchum nodded in agreement and Brock finally stood up unwillingly.  
  
***  
  
I had to force every bit of food into my own mouth, reminding myself that the  
food would make the hunger pains go away. It would make me stronger so I could  
be there for Ash.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum was eating just as slowly as I was, but she occasionally tried  
to give a smile to show us that everything was going to be okay.  
  
Brock just picked at his food, eating a bit of it with my insistent badgering  
every now and then.  
  
Sometimes I wanted to yell at him for being so difficult, but I knew that he  
was probably blaming himself for this more than anyone else.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum was mostly quiet the whole time that we were eating. Sometimes  
she would just sigh for no reason all, although she mostly sighed when Brock  
was refusing to eat. It wasn't really a sigh in frustration as much as it was  
a sigh of sadness.  
  
After two hours, Mrs. Ketchum and I had managed to empty our plates, while  
Brock had swallowed down a quarter of his food.  
  
We didn't object when Brock insisted that he was full. We knew that a quarter  
of his plate of food was the most that we would get him to eat. Every morsel  
had tasted bitter, and we were glad to be done of the necessary function of  
eating.  
  
***  
  
When we walked out of the cafeteria, Brock slumped back down on a plastic  
chair.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum...Can we see Ash?" he asked almost robotically.  
  
"He's probably still sleeping." Mrs. Ketchum said nervously.  
  
"I don't mind." Brock whispered.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum walked up to Brock and led him towards Ash's room.  
  
"Are you coming?" she asked me.  
  
I shook my head, even though I really wanted to say yes. The memory of Ash's  
reaction was too fresh on my mind. There was probably a chance that he was  
awake, and I was sure that he wouldn't want to see me then.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum led Brock to the room and went back to me. Her eyes had lost  
their fake cheeriness as she looked back, as though she was checking to see if  
someone was following her.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum...." I started, wondering why she wouldn't be with Brock.  
  
"Misty...I need to talk to you..." she whispered, sounding urgent.  
  
"What is it?!" I asked frantically, worrying about Ash.  
  
"I-I'm thinking of taking Ash home when he gets better..."  
  
"Of..Of course..." I stammered, not liking the finality of her tone.  
  
"I mean...I'm thinking of keeping him home...to stay."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
NOTE: No, You are not dreaming. I wrote this part in less than a month. With  
a combination of great reviews and the fact that my sister repeatedly hit me  
on the head, with the copy of parts 1-6 that I printed out for her,  
threatening to make my life miserable if I didn't finish this part by  
8 O'clock today...Whew! I'm tired! I'm evil with the cliffhangers...but what  
can I say? Of course...as always..Please Read and Review! Bya! 


	8. Chapter 8

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 8  
  
Written By TwistedReality  
  
Misty's POV  
  
"Misty...I need to talk to you..." Mrs. Ketchum whispered, sounding urgent.  
  
"What is it?!" I asked frantically, worrying about Ash.  
  
"I-I'm thinking of taking Ash home when he gets better..."  
  
"Of..Of course..." I stammered, not liking the finality of her tone.  
  
"I mean...I'm thinking of keeping him home...to stay."  
  
"W-what...?" I whispered, feeling my hands shake.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum looked away, her hands nervously fighting with each other. "It's  
the only logical thing to do..." she said sadly, looking at the hallway that  
led to her son's room.  
  
A part of me understood her, but another part of me felt angry. How could she  
drop this on me when there was already too much for me to handle?  
  
"But-" I started, not knowing how to protest. "I-I.." my head hurt, and I  
started to feel dizzy. I didn't know whether to scream or cry. I was being  
pulled several directions at once. The thought of losing Ash made me feel sick  
to my stomach. "It's not fair!" I finally screamed, tears rolling down my  
cheeks.  
  
I turned around and ran outside of the cold and stuffy hospital, not watching  
where I was going. I didn't care where I went...I just wanted to get away.  
  
I ran until I collapsed on the high grass that had grown high enough to reach  
my knees.  
  
The grass was soft, comforting me, despite the fact that it felt itchy against  
my skin.  
  
For a few moments, I had forgotten everything. All I could think about was the  
the fresh air, and the soft wind that blew the grass against my face, tickling  
my nose. I wanted to stay there forever. Outside of the hospital I wouldn't  
have to be reminded of death and dying. Everything outside was alive and full  
of energy.  
  
This bliss was short lived when I saw two wild pikachu jumping from tree to  
tree.  
  
they were both holding bright read apples, looking as cute and joyful as ever.  
Their cheeks sparkled slightly with electricity from the joy they were  
feeling.  
  
I wanted to scream.  
  
It wasn't fair! We would never see Pikachu creating mountains of ketchup for  
lunch, or shocking Ash in the mornings!  
  
Did Pikachu deserve to die?! Did Ash deserve to lose his best friend?!  
  
An annoying voice in my head told me that life was not fair. I hated that  
annoying voice now more than ever.  
  
No matter how far I decided to run away, Pikachu would still be gone.  
  
I started to cry at this realization. The pain wasn't going to just "go away."  
Brock, Mrs. Ketchum, and most of all, Ash, needed me.  
  
I struggled to my feet which were aching from all the running that I had done.  
I had to go back. I had to see Ash.  
  
Even if he hated me for lying to him.  
  
***  
  
When I returned, I saw Mrs. Ketchum sobbing, while Brock was holding his face  
in his hands hopelessly.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum..." I whispered softly.  
  
She looked up at me, her face was red from all the crying she had done.  
"I'm sor-" she started.  
  
I shook my head, refusing to have her apologizing to me. "I shouldn't have run  
off like that."  
  
Mrs. Ketchum looked like she was going to say something, but it was Brock who  
spoke up first.  
  
"You were under a lot of pressure." Brock stated, walking towards me.  
  
"Can I see Ash?" I asked frantically , hoping that visiting hours weren't  
over.  
  
Brock smiled and nodded as he sat back down next to Mrs. Ketchum. I was  
surprised that he didn't want to come too, but he probably knew that I wanted  
to see Ash alone.  
  
The hallway seemed like a tightrope as I walked towards Ash's room. What if he  
yelled at me? What if he demanded that I leave? I felt so overwhelmed, that I  
wanted to run back into the waiting room.  
  
When I reached the door to Ash's room, I wondered whether or not to open the  
door. I knew there was no turning back once I opened it.  
  
I sighed and fumbled clumsily with the doorknob. Anything was better than the  
air of uncertainty that existed in the waiting room.  
  
The door squeaked slightly when I opened it. I cringed at the sound suddenly  
intruding in the atmosphere of complete silence.  
  
I bit my lower lip when I quietly shut the door behind me, hoping not to wake  
Ash if he was asleep.  
  
Instantly, I noticed that the room was dark. A thin beam of light penetrated  
through the curtains which were fully closed.  
  
Ash lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. A shadow had covered his face, and  
I couldn't see his eyes or his facial expression. He didn't seem to notice my  
arrival.  
  
"Ash..." I said quietly, trying to get his attention.  
  
He turned to face me and I could see his haunted, red eyes, which were filled  
with tears.  
  
I quickly looked away, the guilt making me feel sick to my stomach. "Do you  
mind if I open the window?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful. I wanted to cry  
with him, but I had to be strong.  
  
"D-don't.." he whispered.  
  
"Why...?" I asked, hoping that he would respond. I knew I was being too  
hopeful, but I was willing to try anything to get him to talk to me.  
  
There was a long period of silence, and I knew that he wasn't going to tell  
me anything. I sighed and sat next to him on the chair next to his bed.  
  
When I was about to give up on Ash ever talking to me, he spoke up in a small  
and soft voice that I could barely hear. "Pikachu would have still been alive  
if I had given him to team rocket..."  
  
My eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Ash!" I  
cried out, horrified. "How could you say that?!"  
  
Ash looked at me again with more anguish than I have ever seen in his eyes.  
"Well, it's true, isn't it?!" he yelled, his voice cracking.  
  
"You don't mean that..." I whispered, grabbing his shoulders and looking  
straight into his eyes. He tried to look back, but he shuddered and had to  
look away.  
  
Ash hung his head low, and I could see his hands shaking while he spoke. "I  
was selfish....I was so wrapped up in keeping Pikachu with me...that...that.."  
He held his face in his hands and stopped speaking.  
  
My voice was caught in my throat. Ash looked so lost and confused, when he  
was usually so focused and determined.  
  
Nothing seemed right anymore.  
  
All I could do was hold his hand, which was cold and unresponsive.  
  
I sat there holding his hand for five minutes, unsure of what to say. A part  
of me wanted to tell him that Pikachu would have been miserable in Team  
Rocket, that there was nothing else he could have done, but I knew he would  
have never believed me.  
  
Another part of me wanted to cry and beg for forgiveness for lying to him, for  
being weak and running out of the hospital to get away from everything when he  
needed me the most. But I knew that Ash didn't need this now.  
  
He needed silence, and that was what I was going to give him.  
  
***  
  
I walked out of Ash's room, staring at the cold tiles on the floor. Brock had  
fallen asleep on one of the waiting room chairs, while Mrs. Ketchum thumbed  
through a magazine, robotically, not really absorbing anything. When she  
noticed me, she stood up, shuddering with every movement she made to hoist  
herself off the chair.  
  
"How is he?" she asked, her voice sounding raspy.  
  
I wanted to tell her that Ash was fine, but something in her eyes demanded the  
absolute truth.  
  
"He..he blames himself..." I whispered. "I...just don't understand how he  
could blame himself?! He tried his best to protect Pikachu! There was nothing  
he could have done!"  
  
"Why do you blame yourself?" Mrs. Ketchum asked with a sad smile.  
  
I turned away from her, unable to respond.  
  
"Misty, dear, please don't beat yourself up over this..." Mrs. Ketchum started  
from behind me. I didn't really hear the rest of what she said. All I could  
think about was Ash.  
  
After Mrs. Ketchum had sat down, I turned to her, looking down at my feet.  
  
"Does Ash know...about..staying home?" I whispered, hoping not to wake Brock  
in case he didn't know.  
  
"I-I haven't told him yet.." Mrs. Ketchum said reluctantly. "I don't think  
that he'll continue without Pikachu..."  
  
I wanted to vehemently disagree with her, but the Ash I had just visited fit  
her description perfectly.  
  
"I-I need to go to sleep..." I whispered, after noticing how tired I actually  
felt. I just couldn't deal with anything else today.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum nodded approvingly, but I didn't acknowledge the gesture.  
  
I was just too tired.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
First of all......Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I love reviews!  
My evil little sister insisted that I finish this part by today and I...I...  
I...finally...finished....it!!! It's a little blech..but I finished it!!!! Now  
I am free to write my...five page paper..ugh! School! Um...I'm a little  
tired and sleepy now...so please forgive my rambling.  
  
READ/REVIEW!  
  
An unrelated note: Precalculus is evil! (I'm hyper) 


	9. Chapter 9

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 8  
  
A/N: I'm sorry this part took a year to write...but I have no excuse. My bratty little sis remembered the existence of this story and is  
  
holding my stuff hostage until I finish this part! ::groans::  
  
Written By TwistedReality  
  
Misty's POV  
  
"Misty..." a voice whispered quietly.  
  
I groaned and opened my eyes slowly. The world was spinning and my head hurt.  
  
"What?" I asked, not making any attempt to sound friendly.  
  
A gentle hand shook my shoulder, and I was more alert.  
  
It was Mrs. Ketchum. Her eyes were filled with tears. "It's Ash-" she gasped, trying to speak clearly, although she was   
  
crying, "He's not in his bed! The doctors think he might have run away!"  
  
I shot up from my bed, hastily putting on my shoes. "Where's Brock?!" I asked, struggling to put on my second shoe. I  
  
was in too much of a hurry to untie it first.  
  
"He's looking around the hospital already....I don't know where he could have gone!"  
  
I bit my lip nervously, when an idea came to me.  
  
"I think I might know where he went..." I cried, running outside.  
  
***  
  
I found him sitting in the grass. He was still wearing his hospital clothes. He didn't even notice me approach. He was  
  
completely focused on playing with the blades of grass.  
  
"Ash....." I whispered softly, trying not to startle him.  
  
"Hey, Misty..." he whispered, with his back still facing me.  
  
"I'll really miss this.....if I don't continue..." Ash whispered softly. His hand shook as he ran it through the grass.  
  
"Ash...How did you know...?"  
  
"Mom...told me last night..."  
  
"You could always tell her that you want to stay...Right?" I asked, hopefully.  
  
Ash closed his eyes, and sighed, allowing himself to fall back into the grass. "I...I don't know...I just don't want to think  
  
about it..."  
  
"Ash...why are you a pokemon trainer?"  
  
He sat up and faced me, the expression on his face was filled with uncertainty. "Misty-"  
  
"Just tell me. I want to know." I insisted, holding his hand. I barely realized what I was doing, but I kept on holding  
  
his hand. I had to give him strength.  
  
"I wanted to understand pokemon by working with them to achieve a common goal...."  
  
"I wanted to be there for somebody...I wanted to be strong for them!" Ash's eyes filled with tears, "but I failed...I wasn't  
  
there for them. I failed at protecting them and now...now..."  
  
I squeezed his hand tighter, noticing that his hands were sweaty.  
  
"I don't want to fail any of my other pokemon ever again."  
  
My heart nearly stopped.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Ash whispered softly.  
  
"So you're just going to quit, right?!" I yelled, pulling away from him.  
  
"All this time...I've been...selfish....I don't want to be that kind of person..." He looked down at his hands. "Not  
  
anymore..." he added softly.  
  
"Ash...I *know* that you love being a pokemon trainer! You can't just....stop!" I gasped. The emotions that I had been suppressing were  
  
going out of control.  
  
I expected Ash to respond, but he didn't say a word.  
  
I didn't expect this at all.  
  
"Ash..." I stated calmly, trying my best to get a handle on my emotions, "do you think Pikachu would want you to give up something  
  
you really love? I know it will be hard without Pikachu, but-"  
  
Ash turned to me and shook his head quickly. "It's not that! It's just that..." for a moment, the words seemed to evaporate from Ash's  
  
mouth as he looked at me blankly for a moment. He stuttered, trying to find his words. "I...just..."  
  
"...feel guilty...?" I finished softly.  
  
Ash averted his eyes and nodded slowly.  
  
"Ash...I'm...sorry.." I whispered.  
  
He looked up at me suddenly with confusion evident in his eyes. "What....?"  
  
"I could have pushed you away..." I tried to swallow down the sobs that were escaping from my throat.  
  
"Misty...." Ash started, shaking his head softly.  
  
"I...was right near you, Ash..." I interrupted, turning away from him. "I could have pushed you and Pikachu out of the way...I..I'm sorry.."  
  
The tears were rolling freely down my cheeks now.  
  
I was about to run away when I felt Ash wrapping his arms around me.  
  
"Thank you, Misty...." he whispered softly. "You've always been there for me."  
  
I was a little surprised. Why wasn't he mad at me?   
  
"But...Ash...I lied to you about Pikachu...I..I'm a horrible friend...I abandoned you..."  
  
"Don't ever say that..." Ash sobbed. "Don't ever say you are a bad friend! You...never abandoned me..Don't even think that!"  
  
My eyes widened at the force of Ash's words. I couldn't even come up with a response.  
  
"I don't want anyone to hurt anymore....Not because of this...Not because of me...I don't want anyone to be in danger anymore!"  
  
I carefully wrapped my arms around him. A part of me felt like he was going to break.  
  
"Don't punish yourself, Ash...You tried your best to protect Pikachu!" I tried to reassure him.  
  
"My best wasn't good enough!" Ash cried, burying his face in his hands.  
  
I tried to reach for Ash to hug him again, but he moved away, shaking his head wildly.  
  
"No...No..." he whimpered, before he looked up at me with a very decisive look on his tear stained face.  
  
"I can't change my mind Misty..." his eyes looked uncertain for a moment. "I have to do this," he whispered, sounding like he was really  
  
trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me.  
  
I knew what he was going to say, but I didn't want to hear him saying it.  
  
"I'm going to quit pokemon training."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
Am I evil or what? ::Laughs like a maniac::  
  
After a year's wait I finally put out a part and I end it in an evil cliffhanger. This story is nearing the end! Oh woe! 


	10. Chapter 10

Ash and Misty's Love?  
  
Part 9  
  
Written By TwistedReality  
  
A/N: Okay. This chapter is fast (by my standards) My bratty sister hated the cliffhanger and is now annoying the heck out of me until  
  
I finish this.  
  
Misty's POV  
  
I carefully wrapped my arms around Ash. A part of me felt like he was going to break.  
  
"Don't punish yourself, Ash...You tried your best to protect Pikachu!" I tried to reassure him.  
  
"My best wasn't good enough!" he cried, burying his face in his hands.  
  
I tried to reach for Ash to hug him again, but he moved away, shaking his head wildly.  
  
"No...No..." he whimpered, before he looked up at me with a very decisive look on his tear stained face.  
  
"I can't change my mind Misty..." his eyes looked uncertain for a moment. "I have to do this," he whispered, sounding like he was really  
  
trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me.  
  
I knew what he was going to say, but I didn't want to hear him saying it.  
  
"I'm going to quit pokemon training."  
  
"No..." I whispered, shaking my head softly. "Think about what you're saying, what you're doing!" I cried, grabbing his shoulders, trying  
  
to shake some sense into him.  
  
Ash didn't seem to hear me. His head was lowered, and I could feel his shoulders shaking.  
  
"I'm sorry...." he whispered, in a low voice.  
  
My arms fell to my sides, nerveless. What could he possibly be apologizing to me for?  
  
"I'm always getting you and Brock in trouble..." he apologized quietly.  
  
"No..." I denied, feeling weak.  
  
He looked up at me for a moment, and I could see the tears glistening in his eyes. "Misty...You know it's true....."  
  
"Stop it, Ash." I told him firmly, feeling warm tears running down my own cheeks.  
  
Ash's mouth curved into a fake smile. "Well...I..guess I got to...go.." he mumbled softly, before starting to leave.  
  
I stood up and grabbed his arm. "No."  
  
Ash looked straight at me, his watering eyes filled with pain. "Please....Let go..." he whispered, pleading.  
  
I had to look away. This was not the Ash I knew. The Ash I knew would never be crumbling before my eyes. My hand shook, but I didn't  
  
let go.  
  
A surge of anger came over me. This just wasn't right.  
  
"You know what!" I yelled, my throat tightening involuntarily. "If you want to be that way....Fine! Get out of here!"  
  
Ash's eyes widened at my burst of anger, and for a moment, I couldn't believe myself.  
  
A part of me wanted to hold him close, so I could tell him what I really felt, why I really didn't want him to leave, but something was  
  
stopping me. The same barriers that had been holding me back before started to come back up again.  
  
I was tired of his stubborn behavior.  
  
Couldn't he see that this wasn't his fault?  
  
Couldn't he see that he was never a burden?  
  
I let go of his arm, and turned away from him, but not before seeing Ash's eyes fill with more pain.  
  
"I....guess..we should be going inside..." he told me stiffly.  
  
"No...." I told him, shaking my head. I was surprised that the anger had disappeared from my own voice.  
  
I could hear Ash sighing as he plopped back down on the grass.  
  
"Misty...it's for the best..." he told me softly, "I...I've really thought about this..."  
  
"You really think it's for the best?" I asked him, not even bothering to hide the contempt in my voice. "You think that you can just give up  
  
something you love so easily?"  
  
"Misty...Sometimes you just got to do things....that you don't want to do..." Ash started.  
  
I couldn't take it anymore. I wouldn't even let him finish. "Do you think...that you aren't the only one affected by this decision?" I asked,  
  
with my back still toward him.  
  
From the corner of my eye, I could see Ash looking away, shuddering.  
  
"I....can't do it..." he cried, surprising me.  
  
Ash, who seemed too stubborn to give up on anything no matter how stupid it was, was telling me that he couldn't continue fulfilling his  
  
dream.  
  
I turned around and sat down on the grass next to Ash again. Words had abandoned me for the moment as I looked into his tear filled  
  
eyes.  
  
"You're afraid..." I realized, not believing it.  
  
"N-No..." he whimpered softly, avoiding my eyes.  
  
"Sometimes....things happen...that you can't control..." I told him softly.  
  
"No!" Ash sobbed, shaking his head fiercely. "I could have stopped it!"  
  
"Ash. There was nothing you could do." I knew I had to be calm, but it was close to impossible seeing such a strong person reduced to  
  
the state Ash was in.  
  
"It's not true!" he screamed, trying to get away.  
  
I grabbed his shoulders, holding him down.  
  
"It's not true..." he repeated to himself, weakly, holding his hands over his ears.  
  
I hugged Ash who seemed to crumple in my arms as he burst into tears, sobbing.  
  
I know what he wanted to hear. He wanted somebody to say that everything would be okay, that nothing this bad would ever happen  
  
again, that he would always be safe from now on.  
  
I knew I couldn't tell him that.  
  
I wasn't even sure if that would be true.  
  
It was starting to get dark, and I knew that everyone else would be worried about us, so I helped Ash up, holding his hand the whole time  
  
as we walked into the hospital.  
  
Brock looked a little surprised when he saw us come in holding hands.  
  
"Are you two...?" he started to mouth silently.  
  
I shook my head.  
  
Under normal circumstances, I would have freaked out, denied everything and pulled my hand away, but now...now I knew that I couldn't  
  
do that.  
  
Ash didn't even seem to notice anyone else. His grip on my hand seemed to tighten as his mother walked up to him, hugging him gently.  
  
She looked like she partly wanted to yell at him for wandering away, but the concerned part of her won out.  
  
"Ash...what have you been doing outside...?" she asked carefully.  
  
"Thinking..." He told her, without looking up.  
  
I could see that Mrs. Ketchum looked a little hurt from how distant Ash sounded.  
  
"About what?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"I...I've decided..."  
  
My heart seemed to stop.  
  
"I...want to stay home..."  
  
Brock looked at me with concern, but I turned away, trying not to think about it.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum only nodded, her face showing no emotion. "Okay...Are you sure that's what you really want?"  
  
Ash nodded fearfully, letting go of my hand.  
  
"You should probably get some sleep...." Mrs. Ketchum told him, "The doctor just told me that you are going to be discharged  
  
tomorrow."  
  
Ash followed her to his room, while the meaning of Mrs. Ketchum's statement hit me.  
  
Tomorrow, everything would change. Ash would be gone. The thought made me feel dizzy and sick to the stomach.  
  
"Are you okay?" Brock asked me, scaring me slightly. I was so worried about life without Ash that Brock's question had caught me a little  
  
bit off guard.  
  
I wanted to lie, but I found myself shaking my head anyways.  
  
"I...don't want him to leave...It isn't right..." I told him, feeling my voice grow weak.  
  
"I....don't like it either..." Brock admitted, sighing.  
  
"I can't convince him to change his mind. He's just as stubborn as he always is..."  
  
Brock nodded, commiserating.  
  
"He won't stop blaming himself for....what happened to Pikachu." I whispered. "I know he blames himself. At first I thought he was just  
  
punishing himself because of that...but it...it's something else..."  
  
Brock looked up, surprised. "What?"  
  
"He...He's worried that this could happen again....He's afraid." I told him.  
  
"Ash?" Brock asked incredulously.  
  
"He....said that he *couldn't* continue. Ash never admits that he can't do something unless something is really wrong."  
  
Brock nodded slightly in agreement.  
  
"I...got to stop him..." I decided. "This is all a big mistake!"  
  
"Misty...You never really told me what *you* really felt about this...specifically..."  
  
I looked down, afraid to tell Brock something that I had told myself a long time ago. I remembered when Ash was unconscious in the  
  
hospital room and I had begged him to come back.  
  
"I can't lose him again..." I sobbed, "I need him..."  
  
I felt Brock patting my back encouragingly.  
  
"Then why don't you tell him?" he asked me unexpectedly.  
  
***  
  
When I started this fic, I really didn't think it was going to be this long ::sweatdrops:: I planned on making this four or five chapters, until  
  
it started to get more and more involved...but at least the end is somewhere in sight now...I think...  
  
::Yawns:: I'm sleepy.... 


End file.
